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If My ATT Account Is Terminated, Can I Keep My iPhone?

pdpfilms

pdpfilms

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 29, 2004
2,382
1
Vermontana
I'm living in Montana. ATT's not coming for at least another year. However, I was just booted from TMobile for excessive roaming, and am now looking for an alternative network.

I'm tempted to sign up with ATT using an alternate address in a ATT area, and see how long I can go before I get booted for excessive roaming. But the key here is whether or not I can keep my iPhone.

Does anyone here have any experience getting the boot from ATT? Did you get to keep your phone?

UPDATE (Aug 26): ATT will (though possibly unofficially) let you keep your iPhone if you are one of the few that fulfills the above description.
 
Why would AT&T terminate your account?
If they do you'll pay regardless.
 
jessica. said:
Why would AT&T terminate your account?
If they do you'll pay regardless.
Click to expand...

For excessive roaming. It's in their terms and conditions.

If your usage of the Services on other carriers' wireless networks ("offnet usage") during any month exceeds your offnet usage allowance, AT&T may at its option terminate your wireless service or access to data Services, deny your continued use of other carriers' coverage, or change your plan to one imposing usage charges for offnet usage. Your offnet usage allowance is equal to the lesser of 24 megabytes or 20% of the kilobytes included with your plan and for messaging plans the lesser of 3000 messages or 50% of the messages included with your plan.
Click to expand...
 
jessica. said:
Why would AT&T terminate your account?
If they do you'll pay regardless.
Click to expand...

Providers will terminate your contract if you excessively roam on other networks. Usually that's defined by if your roaming minutes exceed non roaming minutes.

Watch the data portion though as they may charge for that.
 
I actually think it's a brilliant strategy, and I would go for it without a doubt.

UNLESS...

unless there is a provision in the terms and conditions that you might be responsible for $175 termination fee, in which case I would still go for it and then dispute it because it's not your fault they aren't providing coverage where you live.
 
frunze said:
I actually think it's a brilliant strategy, and I would go for it without a doubt.

UNLESS...

unless there is a provision in the terms and conditions that you might be responsible for $175 termination fee, in which case I would still go for it and then dispute it because it's not your fault they aren't providing coverage where you live.
Click to expand...

From the iPhone specific terms and conditions:
Off-net Usage: If your minutes of use (including unlimited services) on other carrier networks ("off-net usage") during any two consecutive months exceed your off-net usage allowance, AT&T may, at its option, terminate your service, deny your continued use of other carriers' coverage, or change your plan to one imposing usage charges for off-net usage. Your off-net usage allowance is equal to the lesser of 750 minutes or 40% of the Anytime Minutes included with your plan. AT&T will provide notice it intends to take any of the above actions, and you may terminate the agreement.
Click to expand...

I see nothing about returning the phone... do you?

EDIT: of note, one fairly clueless CSR told me you can either keep the phone and pay the $175 ETF, or return the phone and waive the ETF. However, he also said the off-net limit was 51%, not 40% like the T&C states. I'm guessing he was making it up...
 
kkat69 said:
Ahhh yet another "How's this for a scam to avoid paying full price for an iPhone" thread.


Gotta luv these.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but I live in a non-ATT service area, and you're presuming I'm trying to scam Apple because of this? I'd be happy to pay whatever fees ATT incurs on me, so long as I can keep my iPhone.

So presumptuous.
 
pdpfilms said:
I'm sorry, but I live in a non-ATT service area, and you're presuming I'm trying to scam Apple because of this? I'd be happy to pay whatever fees ATT incurs on me, so long as I can keep my iPhone.

So presumptuous.
Click to expand...

Apple and AT&T...

You are scamming them because you are trying to figure out how to get a phone at a reduced price without paying on a full contract. It is a scam, sugar coat it however you want. :rolleyes:
 
Give it a go. If you they want the phone back, give it back, but i doubt they will want a phone that has been used for 3 months back, but you never know.
 
daflake said:
Apple and AT&T...

You are scamming them because you are trying to figure out how to get a phone at a reduced price without paying on a full contract. It is a scam, sugar coat it however you want. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I would LOVE to pay a full contract and in fact this is what I'm trying to do. However, it is exceptionally likely ATT will terminate my account because they don't provide proper coverage here. If they elect not to, I will ride out the 2 year contract with no objections. Sugar coating? I don't think so.
 
Perhaps if you didn't word your original post like you were trying to get booted then some wouldn't think you were trying to get over. Everything you said indicates this is what you want. If it isn't then you need to simply get one and be done with it. Likely you would get to keep the phone.
 
daflake said:
Perhaps if you didn't word your original post like you were trying to get booted then some wouldn't think you were trying to get over.
Click to expand...

This is true. In the interest of brevity, I left out a lot and worded it quite brusquely. Hopefully at this point my intentions are clear- I want to purchase an iPhone 3Gs from either Apple or ATT and keep it.
 
No, he clearer wants an iPhone, but expects to be kicked off again due to previous experiences.
 
pdpfilms said:
This is true. In the interest of brevity, I left out a lot and worded it quite brusquely. Hopefully at this point my intentions are clear- I want to purchase an iPhone 3Gs from either Apple or ATT and keep it.
Click to expand...

Fair enough! ;)
 
AT&T won't charge you an ETF or ask for the phone back if they can you for excessive roaming that you may use for an extended period of traveling around the country, even though your home address is in an AT&T coverage area, but if you deliberately mislead them and give a false address when signing up, all bets are off, they may ask for the phone back or an ETF
 
yg17 said:
AT&T won't charge you an ETF or ask for the phone back if they can you for excessive roaming that you may use for an extended period of traveling around the country, even though your home address is in an AT&T coverage area, but if you deliberately mislead them and give a false address when signing up, all bets are off, they may ask for the phone back or an ETF
Click to expand...

That makes sense. Luckily I can use my home address (I'm currently attending school).
 
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